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Weekly Q&A with Doc's Sports Expert Handicapper Raphael Esparza


by Docsports.com - 5/7/2019

Draymond Green Golden State Warriors

Doc's Sports Service has built a reputation as a recognized leader and trusted name in the sports handicapping industry with the help of some of the top expert sports handicappers in the nation. Raphael Esparza is an esteemed member of that team after working his way to the of top of the list during a long and successful run in the Las Vegas sportsbook industry. Leading up to his retirement from that industry in 2013, he held the prestigious position of Director of the Race and Sports Book for MGM Resorts' Aria.

Often referred to as the Vegas Sports Informer during his sportsbook days, Esparza has since shifted all of his energy to running a successful sports investment business from his home base in Las Vegas as well as from the Big Easy in New Orleans. His selection packages span one of widest arrays of betting options in the sports betting industry from high-unit NBA playoff picks to pop culture prop bet picks for the next big movie premier. Doc's gets the chance to touch base with Raphael once a week to keep our readers up to speed on some the hottest trending betting topics in the world of sports.

Doc's: Three of the four NBA playoff series in the conference semifinals have staged some close, hard-fought battles in the early part of these best-of-seven tilts. Do you have the underdog winning any of this three series after all eight matchups in the opening round went chalk?

RE: I would still go with Golden State in the West and Toronto in the East as the clear favorite to win. However, I do think that Portland can win its series against Denver. This has actually been the best matchup on the board that half the country has yet to see given the late-night starts.

Doc's: We already know just how much you love a Game 7 showdown in the NHL playoffs. St. Louis is a -130 home favorite for Tuesday's series finale against the upstart Dallas Stars. With Ben Bishop between the pipes for Dallas, is there anyway the Stars find a way to win this game?

RE: The Stars had a golden opportunity to win this series at home in Game 6 and Bishop failed to bring his A-Game to that matchup. Bet on the Blues at home in Game 7. As an added pick, I would also go with San Jose as a home favorite in the Sharks' Game 7 showdown against Colorado on Wednesday.

Doc's: In one of the wildest finishes in Kentucky Derby history, we already know that Maximum Security's disqualification cost bettors at the race track. What kind of impact did this have on the Kentucky Derby betting action at the sportsbooks?

RE: Since most of the money bet on this race went through the racebook for horse racing, the impact was minimal. As far as the limited action on props and head-to-head matchups placed through the sportsbook, the final result most likely benefitted the books with such a prohibitive long shot winning the race.

Doc's: It was no big surprise that Canelo Alvarez beat Daniel Jacobs in a unanimous decision in Saturday night's middleweight unification bout. Using your boxing crystal ball, what will be the next big fight in this division?

RE: The next fight in this division will hinge on Triple G's (Gennady Golovkin) performance in his June 8 bout against Steve Rolls. If he looks good in that fight, we might get the third installment of Alvarez vs. Golovkin somewhere down the road. Keep an eye on some big fights coming up in the heavyweight division. Boxing appears to be committed to reestablishing this weight class to its former glory.

Doc's: This Saturday's UFC 237 MMA card features a title fight in the women's strawweight division between Jessica Andrade as a -130 favorite against Rose Namajunas as a +110 underdog. Would this be a good fight to bet against the favorite?

RE: All the main events on this card should be close fights with the highest odds on any favorite set at -160. I would go with the underdog in this title fight and I am hoping that the public jumps all over Andrade to drive the number up on Namajunas.

Click here to visit Raphael Esparza's Insider's Page at Doc's Sports for more information on his amazingly-profitable sports handicapping picks. Also, get $60 worth of Esparza's member's picks absolutely free-no obligation, no sales people - you do not even have to enter credit card information. You can use this $60 credit for any sports Esparza handicaps. Click here for $60 worth of free picks from Raphael Esparza.

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